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The Suds Report Newsletter
August 2002
Hello All:
I
just looked at last month's newsletter, and noticed that I was
complaining about the heat. Well, at the risk of
sounding like a broken record, it is still HOT! All I
can say is "Thank goodness for air conditioning!"
I
continue to be amazed at all the intriguing bath and body
products out there, so we have no shortage of material. After observing the various product offerings over time, I've
also noticed some trends, which I'll plan to mention from time
to time, beginning with this newsletter.
New at SudsReport.com
We've added two new articles this month: First, our
resident pedicure aficionado, Jill Bowling, tries out some
products for
Foot Care at home in Treats for Your Feet.
Then, I give you my report on one of my personal bath time
favorites, handmade soaps, in
A Handmade
Soap Tale.
And the
Winner Is
Congratulations to our July giveaway winner: Jeni Larson
from Huntington Beach, California, who won a fabulous lavender
basket from
KissMyFace.com.
On August 15, we'll be giving away
TheBodyBakery.com Sugar Scrub and Body Icing. These goodies were a big hit with our reviewer Lisa in
Your Just Desserts.
Organic: The New Natural?
When it comes to personal care products, the word "natural"
has been overused to the point of becoming virtually
meaningless. The term is not regulated, and has proven
popular with consumers, so it is now frequently slapped on
products that are far from most people's understanding of
"natural."
Now, a new term is gradually making its way from the food
section to the personal care aisles: "organic." Unlike "natural", this term is clearly defined.
Currently, "organic" certification is offered by numerous
independent agencies; standards vary from state to state.
Beginning this fall, however, federal regulations governing
organics will go into effect. The new USDA seal will help
create uniformity in the use of the term. For instance,
according to the new regulations, any product labeled organic
must contain 95 to 100% organic ingredients (visit the
USDA
site to read more about the new organic standards).
Are you ready to give organics a try? Prepare to do some
searching. Believe it or not,
ubh (You Be
Healthy) is the only line I've discovered that promises all
its products are "completely organic and free from chemicals."
They have a small but attractive selection of products,
elegantly packaged and fairly pricey.
Another line that
gets specific about its use of organic ingredients is Avalon
Organic Botanicals, a division of
AvalonNaturalProducts.com, which states the percentages of
organic ingredients (ranging from 56 to 100%) on each of its
product labels.
It
is far from clear whether the use of organic ingredients makes
a more beneficial bath and body product.
However,
consumers may take comfort from the notion that the products
were produced in a more environmentally-friendly way.
For creators of personal care products looking for sources of
organic ingredients, a good starting point is the Organic
Trade Association at
OTA.com.
Let's
Talk about Beauty
Do you need a good description of what tuberose smells like,
pronto? Are you dying to tell someone about the
fantastic new shimmer lotion you just tried? Well,
you're in luck. The answer: online beauty discussion
boards.
These cyber meeting places focus mainly on
cosmetics (as well as numerous "off-topic" discussions), but
also include a fair number of bath and body related
discussions. You can check out what others are saying
(a.k.a. "lurking"), add your two cents' worth to an ongoing
discussion, or start a new topic with a question or comment.
My
favorite board is the one at
BeautyBuzz.com. There you'll find a very active group of
friendly, knowledgeable people. Other fun boards to visit:
MakeupAlley.com and "The Grapevine" at
Emakemeup.com Be forewarned, though: these sites can
be addicting!
A Family
Tradition
In last month's newsletter, I mentioned
BotanicalEarth.com, a small Missouri company that focuses on
custom-made, all natural bath and body products. Well, I
simply cannot resist adding this postscript: The owner,
Debra Hendron, dropped me a line and told me that her
grandmother began doing custom work in the mid-50's and passed
much of her expertise on to Debra, who has "inherited" some of
her grandmother's clients.
In fact, she says that her
family has been making soap for a family in Georgia for over
50 years! Call me sentimental, but I think that is a
wonderful story.
In the Works
Coming up soon:
natural bath and body products for pregnant women,
Calypso
Cosmetics and more!
Well, that’s about it for now. As always, please e-mail us with
any comments or suggestions.
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